You need an Internet domain name if you want your business to have an online presence.
Your domain name is your websiteâs unique Internet address. Web browsers will locate
your website using this domain name.
Web domain names have variations. However, most online sites opt for domain names
that have the following parts:
Domain names are integral parts of any business since they establish your business
and the services it offers in the eyes of your customers. It is important that your
domain name is so simple that customers can easily remember it. Good names have
the following five characteristics:
1. Names should be short
A good domain name should be short! Short names are good because they are easy to
memorize and spell without errors. Recently Art-U-Frame.com acquired art.com for
$450,000. Think of how hard it is to remember Art-U-Frame.com compared to art.com.
Guess what . . . sales nearly doubled after the name was changed.
Most short names have already been taken. Be creative. Look at
www.ryze.com, a business
networking site. The founders probably couldnât purchase rise.com so they thought
of something equally catchy and short. Ask your peers to suggest good catchy names
and tell them youâll pay them $100 if you end up using a suggested name for your
business. $100 is a lot cheaper than buying a name for several thousand dollars
in a secondary market.
2. Names should be easy to remember
Remember that not all short names are memorable. For example, it is hard for anyone
except for the founders of Charles Perkins Victor Zack Stevens Inc. to remember
their company website, www.cpvzs.com. So whatever domain you use, make sure that
it is easy for customers to remember; otherwise you are going to have a tough time
promoting your website.
3. Names should relate to your core business or company name
Letâs say you have a pet care business and your domain name is www.pc.com because
âpcâ refers to pet care. People who are looking for personal computers will visit
your website, but people who are looking for pet care will get distracted. Most
people relate PC to âpersonal computerâ instead of âpet careâ by simply looking
at your domain name. You will be better off if your domain name is www.petcare.com.
At times, it may be hard to come up with a good name for your business. Try to visualize
a new name that is catchy and market it in a way that establishes your brand name.
Some of examples of catchy names that donât really reveal the nature of their businesses
are: www.ebay.com, www.amazon.com, www.yahoo.com
4. Hard to misspell
If your customers find your domain name hard to spell after hearing it orally, you
should stay away from that name. Many people canât spell things properly and are
poor typists, so it is best to stick to domain names that are memorable and easy
to spell.
Some examples of really good domains are:
5. .com is better than .net or .biz
Most people automatically type .com after your domain name. So, you want to buy
a .com name if possible.
Moreover, if someone already owns a .com domain name that is an established brand
name, you will find it hard to market a .net with the same name. It is counterproductive
to use a well-known domain name with a different extension. For example, marketing
www.google.biz or www.google.md is a futile attempt because the more you market
your domain name, the more people will go to www.google.com accidentally!
Where should I buy my web domain?
Try one of the following websites.
What if the domain that I really wanted to use is already taken?
Each domain name is unique and therefore, if the name that you want is already taken,
you will have to buy the name at a higher price or make some adjustments to the
domain name you desire. Irrespective of the adjustments, make sure that your domain
name has the above described characteristics.
If you want to check if your domain name has already been taken, simply type it
into your browser. If you canât find a website with the domain name, the name might
be available for sale. Go to one of the following websites to check:
Domain registration, similar to real estate, is a big business. People sell domain
names for prices that range from $100 to tens of thousands of dollars. The above
sites list domain names that are for sale and provide contact information so that
you can contact the owner and negotiate.
Buying a domain name has uncertainty because the name might not be available. If
you are considering starting a web-based business, get the domain name you want
first. Then you need a hosting service for your website. Many hosting companies
provide discounts if you buy the domain name and hosting package together. You can
own a domain name for several years; most businesses are able to save money by purchasing
their domain name for more than a year.
Written By
Pradeep Tumati (Principle, go4funding.com)